Box and crate



Dec. 19, 1933.

INVENToR. W C. W I BY ;W47 n/t A TTORNEYS.

Dec. 19, 1933. G. c. BABcocK BOX AND CRATE Filed Aug. 26. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR ATToRNEYs.

FIE-7 FIE-3 FIE-B Patented Dec. 19, 1933 BOX AND GRA'I'E Guilford C. Babcock, Morris Townsliip, Morris County, N. J., assignor to Stapling Machines Co., a corporation of Delaware Application August 26, 1931. Serial No. 5359,400

` Claims. (Cl. 217-12) This invention reiates to wirebound box blanks, boxes and the like.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel structure of wirebound box, involv- I ing new engineering principles, so to speak, such that very large economies may be effected in the consumption of wood or similar material employed in the major areas of the box sides. For instance, a wirebound box made in accordance with this invention may have its side material consisting principally of wooden veneer or the like only 11; thick, combined with other elements uniquely coordinated'with the side material as presently described; and the resulting 16 box structure, in spite of the extremely thin side material, will have a strength far exceeding that of the usual wirebound box employing side material/a" thick, and will have a strength substantially equal to that of the ordinary wirebound 20 box having side material 11; thick. As contrasted with the high efiiciency of a box embodying this invention, having side material 11|" thick, the ordinary wirebound box having equally thin material would be practically useless for any purpose because of its fragility and its incapacity to withstand distorting strains without crushing or cracking the side material.

While attaining the objects just referred to, this invention has the further purpose, (in the species herein illustrated) to maintain and enhance the opportunity to provide flexibility and elasticity in the finished box, permitting it to be deformed under stress and to be partly or wholly restored to original shape when the stress ceases,

within reasonable limits, all without materially rupturing any of the boxparts.

This invention is characterized by the fact that overly thin side material is employed, which alone in the ordinary wirebound box would have wholly inadequate strength, while additional materials are coordinated therewith, at those points in the box structure at which ample strength is required, especially to suit the distinctive functioning and behavior of fiexible wirebound boxes. Thus a box embodying the present invention is contrasted with the usual wirebound box largely in this: the usual wirebound box requires substantial thickness of side material wastefully distributed uniformly over the entire side surfaces of the box, without discrimination as to those points at which strength is primarily necessary; while, on the other hand, in the box of the present invention, thicker and Stronger materials of minimized area are con- 5 centrated at the points where main strength is required, while at other points on the sides considerable thicknesses of material are wholly dispensed with, with great resulting economy.

The invention will be clearly understood by reference to one illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspeetivev view of a sectional wirebound box embodying the invention, certain parts thereof being broken away for cleamess of Illustration. w

Ii'ig'.l 2 is a side elevation on a smaller scale of a sectional wirebound box blank which, when folded, constitutes the four sides of the box shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the box blank.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the box blank.

Fig. 5 is a side elevationy on an enlarged scale of a portion of the box blank showing the relationship of adjacent sections of the blank. 76

Fig. 6 is an enlarged end elevation of a corner of the box showing the relationship of adjaeent sections when the same are folded into box form.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of a closing comer of the box. 80

The illustrative box comprises four Sections of side material 1 connected together and bound by encircling wires 2, and two end Sections 3. The side Sections preferably consist of one or more sheets of rotary cut veneer, plywood or resawed lumber, reenforeed at either end of the box by interior cleats 4 secured to the side material. The end Sections 3 are preferably secured to the inner faees of the cleats 4.

To .permit the use of side material thinner than any heretofore used (for example, 11, thick) an additional thickness of side material running lengthwise the side is provided at one or more points or lanes on the box sides. In the illustrative box such additional thickness is provided by means of three exterior slats 5, two of which are located adiacent to and run parallel with the side edges of each section, and one of which is located centrally of the side and runs parallel to the other slats 5. The number, size and location of the additional thicknesses of side material may be varied to suit different conditions.

As shown in Fig. 3, the side material 1, the cleats 4, and the slats 5 are assembled in the flat and the wires 2 applied thereto by staples to foldably connect the several side Sections. The cleats 4 are preferably so spaced in the flat as to tension the wires over the box comers when the blank is folded. Slats 5 may be secured to the side material 1 before the several Sections are assembled for the wiring operation, or they may' be secured to 'the side material l by the staples which 'secure the binding wires to the several Sections.v

As shown in the drawings, the slats 5 are preferably located adJacent to and parallel with the side edges of the sections of side material 1 to provide an increased thickness of material for the wires to bite into at the comers of the box. When the fiat blank shown in Fig. 3 is folded into box form, the folding operation tensions the wires over the box corners and causes them to bite into the comer edges of adjacent Sections. As very thin side material is usually employed in boxes of this type, the cutting-in of the binding wires frequently cracks or disrupts the side material, thus impairing the efiiciency of the container. This is particularly truev when plywood is employed. The slats 5 receive the bite of the tensioned wires and prevent them from contacting with the side material at the box comers.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that each side section in the blank of Fig. 2 is composed of a pair of cleats 4,' thin side material overlying the cleats and secured thereto; at least two slats 5, 5 disposed perpendicularly to the cleats and overlying the side material; and the binding wires overlying all the other parts. Certain of the binding wires overlie the cleats, and the attaching staples therefor straddle the wires, some staples also securing the wires to the slats and passing through the slats and through the side material and into the end cleats 4, while other staples secure the binding wires to the side material and pass therethrough and into the cleats. In the finished box the wires thus attached and incorporated into the structural whole with the other parts, continuously encircle the box, the ends of the wires (at the opposite extremities of the blank) being twisted together or otherwise integrated in the completed box. The wires contribute a major element of strength against stress, much after the manner of similar wires in the ordinary wirebound box, but with a substantially different cooperative relationship to the other parts as next explained.

With the coordination of partsjust described, it will be observed that each side section of the blank and box comprises, in effect, a four reetangular sided frame composed of two cleats 4, 4 and at least two slats 5, 5. This frame is made secure by the attachment of the slat ends of the cleats. Interposed between the slats and the cleats, but secured to both, is a very thin sheet of side material which is itself maintained in its normal plane and greatly stiifened, protected and strengthened by its coordination with the described four-sided frame, while the side material itself contributes strength and stiffening to the combination.

When several such box Sections are united in the Wired blank and then folded into box form, or are otherwise assembled inv box form with the continuously encircling wires attached thereto as described, each section tends to function as a four-sided frame unit carrying the side material and having considerable rigidity in spite of the thinness of the side material, while (in the species illustrated in the drawings) the respective side sections are substantially disconnected from each other except for the continuously encircling binding wires and except for such interengagement (frictional or otherwise) as the cleat ends may have with each other. Thus, while the individual side sections operate as substantially rigid units, collectively they shift longitudinally in material itself. As`already stated, such an arrelation to each other as permitted by the flexibility of the wire bindings, while the latter resist such shifting by the tensile strength of the Wire, but permit such shifting because of the flexirangement permits theuse of extremely thin side material throughout major areas of the box side, while the thicker slats may be combined therewith and with the cleats, to occupy only small areas of the sides. Such a distribution of the box elements results in a light, economical shipping container.

It will also be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment thereof shown for purposes of illustration and that all of the features of the invention need not be used con-jointly as the invention may be variously embodied and the inventive features thereof may be used in various combinations and sub-combinations as defined in the sub-joined claims.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 379,366, filed July 19, 1929.

I claim:--

1. A wirebound box comprising, in combination, a plurality of side sections each comprising a rectangular frame composed of oppositely disposed cleats and oppositely disposed slats, and a sheet of relatively thin side material interposed between the cleats and the slats and closing the area within the frame; and binding wires encircling the side sections and tensioned over box comers and secured to the side Sections by staples which straddle the Wire. pass through the slats and side material and anchor in the cleats; the relatively thin side material being supported by the frame and the corner edges of theside material being protected by the slats against the pressure of the tensioned wire, whereby relatively thin side material extending over a major area of each box side may be employed to Aproduce a strong box from a minimum amount of material.

2. A box comprising, in combination, a plurality of side sections each comprising a rectangular frame composed of oppositely'disposed cleats and oppositely disposed slats, and a sheet of relativelythin side material interposed between the cleats and the slats and closing the area within the frame; and fiexible binders encircling the side Sections and secured to the side Sections by staples which straddle the binder, pass through the slats and side material and anchor in the cleats; the relatively thin side material being supported by the frame and the corner edges of the side material being protected by the slats, whereby relatively thin side material extending over a major area of each box side may be employedto produce a strong box from a minimum amount of material.

3. A wirebound box comprising, in combination, relatively thin side material for the several sides of the box, the side material for each side of the box being supported by a rectangular frame composed of oppositely disposed interior cleats and oppositely disposed exterior slats, the outer edges 150 of the siats being located substanti'ally flush with the box corners to protect the thin side material; and binding wires encircling the box and secured to the several sides thereof by staples which straddle the wire, pass through the siats and side material and anchor in the cleats, whereby the thin side material extending over a major area of each box side is supported and protected by a frame extending over minor areas of the side to produce a strong box 'from a minimum amount of material.

4. As an article of manufacture, a box side comprising, in combination, a substantially rectangular frame composed of two interior end cleats and two exterior side siats, relatively thin side material interposed between the cleats and the siats and closing the area within the frame, and binding wires overlying the siats, side material and cleats and secured thereto by staples which straddle the wire, pass through the siats and side material and anchor in the siats; the comer edge of each slat being substantially flush with the corner edge of the side material to protect the latter against the thrust of the binding wire, whereby the relatively thin side material extending over a major area of the box side is integrated with wires and with a frame extending over minor areas of the box side to produce a strong box side from a minimum amount of material.

5. As an article of manufacture, a box side comprising, in combination, a four-sided frame composed of oppositely disposed cleats and oppositely disposed siats, and 'a relatively thin sheet of side material interposed between the cleats and the siats and closing the area within the frame; the edges of the thin side material being flush with or short of the outer edges of the frame, and the cleats, side material and siats being united by fasteners which pass through the slats and side material and into the cleats, whereby the frame supports and protects the side material to produce a strong side from a minimum amount of material.

GUILFORD C. BABCOCK. 

